The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted knowledge innovation within organizations, highlighting the need for improved knowledge management strategies. This study examines the role of knowledge management processes (KMP) in facilitating knowledge sharing and transfer among employees, focusing on the mediating role of social capital. KMP, encompassing knowledge creation, storage/retrieval, transfer, and application, is crucial for organizational innovation, competitive advantage, and adaptation to economic challenges like the pandemic. The study posits that social exchange mechanisms, including mentoring, team collaborations, and reward systems, foster positive affective orientations toward peers, aligning behaviors with KMP principles. This is based on the assumption that social exchange relationships between organization members catalyze knowledge dissemination, leading to reciprocal emotional responses and a virtuous cycle of interaction. While prior research has focused on information-sharing platforms, this study emphasizes the importance of individual motivations and the interplay between infrastructure and individual drivers in knowledge exchange. A key gap in the literature is the lack of empirical research on knowledge-sharing mechanisms in the information service sector, which this study aims to address.

The study leverages social exchange theory as its primary framework, which views knowledge sharing as a form of social exchange where individuals prioritize relationship building over immediate gains. The KMP acts as a bridge connecting knowledge donors and recipients within this exchange. The literature review also addresses the concept of knowledge transfer, defined as the unidirectional dissemination of expertise. It highlights various stages of knowledge transfer: selection, assimilation, integration, and application. The review then discusses the concept of social capital, categorized into structural (impersonal linkages) and relational (personal relationships based on trust and reciprocity) dimensions. Both forms of social capital facilitate cooperative behaviors and knowledge exchange, enhancing organizational performance. While the influence of KMP on knowledge sharing is established, the relationship between social capital and KMP remains under-explored. This study, therefore, seeks to bridge this gap and investigate the impact of both relational and structural social capital on KMP and subsequent knowledge sharing and transfer behaviors.

This study employed a purposive sampling method to gather data from 483 R&D workers in 30 information service firms in mainland China. The high response rate of approximately 98.6% suggests reliability. The majority of respondents were male (63.1%), highly educated (61.4% with master's degrees or higher), aged 30-40 (72.1%), with an average work experience of 5.2 years. A bespoke questionnaire was developed using a five-point Likert scale to measure social capital (building on scales by Tsai et al., 2014; Lin and Huang, 2010; Yilmaz and Hunt, 2001; and Croteau and Raymond, 2004), KMP (adapted from Shahzad et al., 2020 and Migdadi, 2021), knowledge sharing (from Al-Emran et al., 2018), and knowledge transfer (adapted from Reagans and McEvily, 2003). Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS 3.0 was employed to analyze the data. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate the measurement model's reliability and validity, examining factor loadings, Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted (AVE). Discriminant validity was assessed using the Fornell-Larcker criterion. Bootstrapping with 5000 subsamples was used for hypothesis testing.

The findings support all eight hypotheses. First, the KMP significantly and positively impacts both knowledge-sharing (β = 0.634, p < 0.001) and knowledge-transfer behaviors (β = 0.587, p < 0.001). Second, both relational (β = 0.464, p < 0.001) and structural (β = 0.525, p < 0.001) social capital significantly and positively influence the KMP. Third, relational social capital significantly and positively influences knowledge-sharing behavior (β = 0.532, p < 0.001), and structural social capital also shows a significant positive impact (β = 0.214, p < 0.001). Finally, both relational (β = 0.324, p < 0.001) and structural (β = 0.413, p < 0.001) social capital positively influence knowledge-transfer behavior. These results demonstrate a strong, positive relationship between social capital, KMP, and knowledge-sharing and transfer behaviors among employees.

The findings highlight the significant role of social capital in facilitating knowledge sharing and transfer within organizations. The positive impact of both relational and structural social capital on KMP underscores the importance of fostering strong interpersonal relationships and well-structured communication networks. The results support the social exchange theory, demonstrating how positive social interactions contribute to increased knowledge sharing and transfer. The study's findings are particularly relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which emphasized the need for effective knowledge management strategies to mitigate the negative impact on organizational performance. The study's results offer practical implications for organizations seeking to improve knowledge management and enhance employee collaboration.

This study demonstrates that strong knowledge management processes, facilitated by both relational and structural social capital, significantly enhance knowledge sharing and transfer behaviors among employees. The findings emphasize the importance of building a culture of trust and collaboration, investing in robust communication networks, and implementing effective knowledge management systems. Future research could explore the moderating effects of organizational culture and leadership styles on the relationship between social capital and knowledge sharing. Cross-cultural comparisons could also provide further insights into the generalizability of these findings.

The study's limitations include its focus on a specific sector (information services) and geographic location (mainland China). The use of self-reported data through questionnaires may introduce some bias. The study mainly utilizes social interaction theory but doesn't incorporate other relevant theories, such as embeddedness theory and absorptive capacity theory, which might offer additional perspectives. Future studies should consider expanding the scope to include other sectors and regions and exploring the interplay of multiple theoretical perspectives. Comparative analysis across various national contexts could also enhance the generalizability of the findings.